


Daniel, Daniel, Daniel

by MillionDollarTeddyBear



Series: Albion Academy: Merlin & Arthur [2]
Category: Arthurian Mythology & Related Fandoms, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friendship, Jealousy, M/M, Oblivious Merlin, Other relationships - Freeform, Pining Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 04:30:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MillionDollarTeddyBear/pseuds/MillionDollarTeddyBear
Summary: Arthur is shocked when Merlin cancels their upcoming outing to the cinema because he has a date with a new foreign student. He's unsettled by the strange feelings he has when Merlin starts dating the new student."What was Merlin even seeing in that idiot?"(High School AU ft. Merlin dating a new student and Arthur's conflicting and strange feelings he has on the fact that his best friend is in a relationship)Set before "Hell Hath No Fury"CAN BE READ AS A STAND-ALONE FIC





	Daniel, Daniel, Daniel

"What's gotten into you?", Merlin scoffed loudly, shooting an aggravated glare at Arthur as he slipped off his uniform cardigan.   
  
The blond in question just rolled his eyes, "Nothing".   
  
Merlin let out a sound of disbelief and shook his head animatedly. "You've been sulking since yesterday, don't try and fool me", he admonished, wagging his finger in a scolding fashion, moving to take a seat on the edge of Arthur's bed.   
  
"I've not been sulking", Arthur rebutted, "Just busy and stressed on schoolwork, Merlin".   
  
This earned him one of the trademark looks that Merlin liked to give when he wasn't having it with people. "Is this because I said I couldn't go with you to see the new Marvel film?", the dark haired one of the two asked.   
  
They were both students at Albion Academy, a boarding school renowned across the world for being considered one of the top educational institutes in existence. From its classrooms had come billionaires, innovators, and leaders in a variety of fields. Though the school had a sprawling parkland as it's location, with rolling waves of green as far as you could see, and the school had its own coffee shop and cafeteria on campus, the school's administrators had long ago instilled a policy allowing students to exit school grounds.   
  
Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday were the days that saw the most students leaving school grounds and going to the bustling town right outside the school's perimeters. Named Camelot, the town was quite large, with everything from a plethora of museums, a bunch of amazing restaurants, a cinema and multiple parks, and the students would flock to them with their friends.   
  
Arthur and Merlin had made it basically a tradition for them to go out together on Saturday. Lest there was a footie game (Arthur) or a debate event (Merlin), they always went out on Saturday, be it for a bite, to check out some "geek exhibit" at the museum, and they frequently were joined by their group of friends.  
  
So, when Arthur had been waiting outside of Merlin's German class at the end of their Wednesday classes and proposed that their upcoming Saturday be devoted to going to see the newest Marvel film, he'd fully expected Merlin to nod in agreement. He'd been gobsmacked when Merlin's cheeks had colored rose and had softly shaken his head.   
  
"You're not going to believe this", Merlin had said, smiling wide, "The German guy that transferred here two weeks ago? He's on your footie team, Daniel, his name is Daniel", Merlin explained and when Arthur nodded, not knowing what Merlin was getting at, "Well, he asked me out on a date this Saturday".   
  
The news had hit Arthur like a sack of bricks to the neck and he was still reeling from it. Daniel von Blumenthal was born to a noble Uradel German family whose history was wide and illustrious. He'd started schooling at Albion some two weeks prior, not too long after the year had started, when his family had transferred from Munich to London, his father having been appointed as the German Ambassador to the U.K. earlier in the month. The info that the son to a high ranking foreign politico was going to be schooling was one that spread like fire in a field, and everyone stared in awe when the dark-haired, 6'0 von Blumenthal guy entered walking through the halls.   
  
Arthur knew him because of his reputation as a skilled footballer. He'd heard chatter from Leon and Lancelot that he was a great striker, that he was a vision of excellence on the field and all of that, and Arthur had been pleased to see that it was all true when Daniel had been offered by their coach a chance to join the school's footie team. Arthur had actually quite liked Daniel, he seemed charming and bright, was very intelligent and seemed respectful and like a great guy.   
  
All good opinions that Arthur had on Daniel had flown out the window after he'd heard from Merlin about the date. He couldn't quite place why, but it made his stomach feel upset to picture Merlin and Daniel on a date. He didn't like it, at all. 

"This again", Arthur groaned out, shaking his head, "I already told you that it's fine. I've already asked Leon and Percival if they'll go see the movie with me, so it's fine". 

Merlin had stared at Arthur and had been silent. Teeth biting at his lower lip in a way that had Arthur staring even though he didn't know why, the dark-haired Emrys man conceded and shrugged, "Alright then". 

 

They'd spent the evening together in Arthur and Leon's dorm room, watching episodes of some random miniseries on Arthur's laptop and making idle chatter. Arthur allowed himself to he engrossed in the program, though he found he was also very much staring for long periods of time at Merlin's profile, blue eyes intent on the screen and the plot unfolding, the sharp curve of his cheekbones, the slope of his nose. 

Shaking his head, Arthur cleared his throat and returned his gaze to the show on the screen.

 

_♢♢♢_

 

"So?", prodded Gwaine, making that weird motion with his eyebrows, "Give us the details Merlin, the details!"

They were all assembled at one of the tables out near the lake, eating breakfast. It was a Sunday, and the sun was lazily suspended in the sky which was a pretty blue color, the expanse a soft periwinkle shade with fluffy clouds. An idyllic image, sure, but it didn't do anything to better Arthur's surly mood that he had woken up with. 

Merlin's laugh makes him raise his eyes from his glass of orange juice. "Don't give me those eyebrow wiggles!", laughed the blue-eyed Merlin, gently slapping Gwaine's arm. 

"Get to telling us what happened", chimed Morgana, smirking slightly as she sipped some coffee, most likely heavily caffeinated and very dark.

Merlín was positively beaming and smiling brightly as he relayed to them what his evening had entailed. Arthur wasn't listening, engrossed in his meal, even though yes, he was totally listening to every single word that Merlin was saying about his date the previous day. 

He'd met Daniel outside the school's library, then they'd gone out into Camelot. Daniel had taken Merlin to a Greek restaurant that had opened up some weeks prior, they'd eaten Giouvetsi and Moussaka, drinking sage tea and metrios coffee. "He's brilliant, really. Guys, he's great!", Merlin smiled, shaking his head and smiling brightly. "We were there for hours, just drinking coffee and tea and talking", he breathes out, slightly wistfully. 

Arthur refrained from rolling his eyes. When Merlin had called him once he'd arrived last night from his date, the blond had struggled to not release a scoffing sound at the way Merlin rambled on about Daniel this and Daniel that, oh Daniel, oh Daniel. What was Merlin even seeing in that idiot? 

Sure, he was handsome, in that sort of James Dean, dark hair and bedroom eyes look. He was certainly fit, sure, with those strong arms and his prowess as an athlete. Also, he was quite intelligent, a lover of maths and apparently a lover of H. G. Wells, just like Merlin. He was charming, bright, smiled to everyone and had a good disposition, effortlessly charismatic.

Yes, he had all of that. Arthur should be feeling thrilled because Merlin found himself someone nice, beyond nice, who apparently was very, very into him. But there he was, stabbing his fork into the waffles on his plate, his grip on the plastic utensil tightening as Merlin kept telling everyone about the date, and his knuckles only grew fairer in color as he racked his mind for the reason behind his being upset at Merlin and Daniel out together. 

"Sounds like you a great time, Merls!", cheered Gwen, reaching over to squeeze at his shoulder. 

He blushed and nodded, and Will spoke next, laughing lightly as he chimed in, "Should've seen him yesterday night when he got to our room", he paused for a moment to throw his head back in exaggerated pain when Merlin smacked his shoulder, but he continued, "Heart eyes, blushing, looking like Daniel had promised a lifelong love". 

Merlin groaned out, "Don't make me sound like some besotted bride, you idiot!", he finished with another light, playful smack to Will's arm.

"I doubt anyone's going to blame you, he walked you up to the door and asked permission to kiss you goodnight, that Daniel is a charmer", Will smirked, shrugging

Leon smiled, "He sounds so lovely, Merlin!". 

"You should just propose to him", Gwaine chuckled. 

Merlin rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to marry the-"

"And did you say yes?", Arthur interrupted, looking up from the tiny pieces of waffle scattered among his plate, a product of him angrily cutting up his waffles while listening to Merlin. "To the kiss, I mean", Arthur added a moment later. 

Turning his gaze to Arthur, blue eyes bright, Merlin's cheeks colored pink as he answered, "Yeah, I did", nodding. 

Arthur would spend hours after their breakfast thinking about why when he heard Merlin confirm that he and Daniel had kissed his stomach had plummeted. 

 

_♢♢♢_

 

"Daniel!", Merlin excitedly cried out, his loud shout being heard all around, as he walked out onto the football field, smiling widely. 

Even though he wasn't being called, Arthur looked away from his conversation with Leon and Gwaine to gaze at Merlin was rushing out into the field. His grey school cardigan slipping down his shoulders, a bright smile on his face, his dark-haired best friend rushed into Daniel's waiting, open arms.

Scoffing, he shook his head slightly. "My God, those two", he breathes out in annoyance and was barely able to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the sight of Daniel enveloping Merlin in his arms and twirling him around. They looked like some romantic comedy characters, and Arthur felt like gagging. 

Leon gave him a playful shove, "You're such a grouch about those two, you idiot". 

Arthur knew that it was true but he returned the shove, bumping his shoulder with Leon's. He'd been perpetually grouchy whenever the topic of Daniel came up, which was quite frequently considering the fact that Merlin and Daniel had started to go out quite frequently. A week and a half after that initial first date, Merlin had bounded over to their table during lunch and proclaimed excitedly that they were official boyfriends. 

"That's great!", Percival enthused. 

Merlin, pink painting at his cheeks, nodded, "He's just the absolute sweetest, you guys!". 

Gwen sent him a fond look, "I have Economics with him and he seems like q great guy".

Yesterday, Morgana had grabbed onto his elbow while he was walking to his English Literature class, his raven-haired sister's manicured nails digging deep into his skin. He'd yowled and she'd rolled her eyes. 

"What's even going on with you, you goddamned idiot!", she had seethed, glaring harshly at him. 

He'd scowled at her, stopping in his tracks and replied in annoyance, "Morgana, what the hell?". 

"Your such an idiot, you know that?", she'd asked rhetorically. She'd continued before he could get another word in, "I don't know what's up with you, but you need to stop it starting today". 

Arthur had frowned. "Morgana, I don't know what you're talking about", glancing momentarily to his watch he'd went on, "Talk to me now because I have to turn in a report on The English Patient". 

Her steely gaze could have made at the very least a good ninety percent of the school's populous shudder in fear and cower away. But Arthur had lived with her for years, and he'd developed the ability to at least stand and respond against that harsh look of death, even if he was shaking inside. 

"I'm talking about how you've been such a prick to Merlin with all the Daniel stuff", she accuses, "I don't know why, but whenever he talks to about Daniel, mind you that it makes him smile like nothing else in the world, you get all surly and such a wanker". 

His eyes widen momentarily. He didn't think that it was /that/ obvious that he had very confusing emotions in regards to Merlin dating Daniel. "Morgana, I don't know what you mean, I-"

"You do know what I mean", she replied sharply, digging her nails into his arm. "So you need to stop, at least put on a pretty face, smile and suck it up, you absolute idiot and tosser". 

Without even another word, Morgana gave him another dig with her nails into his skin, and then she'd proceeded to stalk off, sauntering away. 

Since then, Arthur had been wondering if his distaste for Daniel had been that evident. Nobody else had said anything at all, but still, he wondered if it was that obvious that he was having very negative feelings about the whole Daniel and Merlin relationship. Even after some three weeks or something, three weeks and two days (Arthur was counting, honestly), he still didn't understand why he was feeling so weird about it. He'd spent too much time on it by now, openly reflecting while faking reading from his textbook in his dorm room or staring at the ceiling while lying on his bed. 

Looking at the scene in front of him, Merlin smiling radiantly at Daniel and laughing at something that the taller man had said, he felt a twisting sensation at his stomach and he swallowed, returning to the conversation with Gwaine and Leon. 

 

_♢♢♢_

 

"What the hell, Arthur?", Merlin snapped. 

Looking up from his copy of The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot,  the Pendragon man felt his blood run cold. "Hello, yes, I'm doing great, thank you so much for asking", Arthur replied, shooting his friend a small smile. 

He was in the student lounge on the second floor of the Constantine building, seated on one of the ecru colored modular sofas. Leaning back, a leg crossed over the other, holding his worn copy of the work, Arthur was the perfect picture of peace, even if inside he was suddenly trembling because he had been, honest to God, hiding in the lounge, hoping Merlin wouldn't find him. 

"I don't care how your doing, what I care is that my Daniel just told me that you've been making him run laps for the past week and a half of practice!", cried out Merlin in exasperation, doing that thing in which the surge of emotion left him without knowing what to do with his hands and so he just flailed them around. It was cute, Arthur had always found it to be cute, frequently making small comments on it. He'd comment mow on how Merlin looked like a frazzled nestling that didn't know yet how to use its wings if he didn't think that Merlin would stop flailing just to smack him. 

"Merlin", Arthur started, "Please, don't be making a-"

"Don't placate me, Pendragon! ", Merlin snarled, effectively silencing Arthur when the blond man saw the angered expression in the raven-haired boy's eyes. 

Merlin pointed an accusatory finger at him, "I wanted to go for a walk with Danny", even though he was quiet and paying attention to what was being said, Arthur could barely hold in an eye roll at that nickname, "and he said no, and he told me that his feet hurt and he had blisters, blisters Arthur, _goddamned blisters_!"

The blond man doesn't instantly reply as he usually did when having an argument with Merlin, more he just sits there, swallowing back all that he wants to say. He wants to tell Merlin that he doesn't know why, by for some reason he gets sick to his stomach when he sees Daniel, and even more when he sees Daniel and Merlin together, all lovebird-like and cute. He wants to shake his head in exasperation as he tells Merlin that he'd been set off last week when Merlin had come walking with Daniel to the field. Merlin had leaned up to press a kiss to the German student's cheek before he rushed off and Arthur had seen, for a second, some reddish purple blotches along his neck when his burgundy, ribbed crochet scarf had slipped down, some few lovebites blemishing his alabaster skin.

It had snapped something in him and Arthur had scowled, having the team run laps and do drills, and had particularly been hard on Daniel. "Come on, Von Blumenthal!", he'd cried multiple times, snapping angrily at his dark-haired teammate, and it had been the same for the following week and a half of footie practice. He'd been particularly pointed when it came to Daniel, and when he'd singled him out as "being slow", Arthur had made him do laps, continuous laps every single practice they'd had since. 

"Goddamnit, Arthur", Merlin breathed out, shaking his head. Crossing his arms over his chest, the dark-haired man continued, voice stern, "The next time-"

"Next time he sends you to fight his battles?", Arthur questioned in a scoffing tone. He shot Merlin a pointed glare, his jaw set hard. 

Merlin's eyes widened at Arthur's words and he replied indignantly, "Stop being such a wanker Arthur". 

"I'm not being a wanker, I just don't see why your God of a boyfriend isn't here talking to me instead of you", he gruffly snapped, glaring harshly at his best friend. 

"God? Arthur what are you even talking a-"

"I'm talking about how you act like he's some god-sent treasure to your life, Merlin", Arthur scorned, not knowing where this was all coming from, "Always fawning over him, draping yourself on him, being such an idiot with him as if-"

"He's my boyfriend, Arthur", Merlin cried out, his volume heightening and it's then that the blond one of the two notes the other's watery eyes. "And you're supposed to be my best friend and should be happy that I'm with someone that makes me feel great, but instead you're being _such_ a prat". 

Arthur takes a deep breath and he reaches a hand out to touch Merlin but the other reels away, shaking his head. "I'm leaving now, just please stop being such a prat to Daniel", Merlin said, wiping at his eyes in an effort to not be crying then and there, his words barely audible and tone bordering on pleading, before he quickly rushed out of the lounge. 

 

_♢♢♢_

 

Merlin doesn't sit with them for any of the meals during the remaining days of the week. 

Arthur can feel everyone's pointed glances after they see Merlin exit the cafeteria and come out into the courtyard, walking with his tray in hand and walking right past their table. He passes by them and heads instead to sit at a table where Daniel and the German boy's friends are already assembled. 

The Pendragon man just swallowed the bite of his apple at the sight of Daniel's arm wrapping around Merlin's waist and pulling him close. He keeps from rolling his eyes at the sight of Merlin engaging in conversation with Daniel's friends: laughing with Babian, the bubbly beauty who was known around school for her great singing voice, joking with Garel, the charming blond who looked like a young Jude Law, or laughing up a storm with Laudamie, Garel's French girlfriend who sported artfully messy honey blonde hair á la Vanessa Paradis. 

From what he manages to grasp, Merlin is talking with everyone, just not sitting at their table. He'd gone out for tea at the on-campus coffee shop with Leon and Gwaine on Thursday, and on Friday had met up with Morgana to study in the library. The blatant reason behind Merlin not sitting with them was obviously Arthur, and it bothered the blond student that it was a Pulcinella's secret that something had happened between Merlin and him. 

The weekend rolled by quickly with Arthur finishing an English Literature report and doing Maths homework, going out to Camelot to the cinema with Percival and Lancelot. He was glad that the weekend had provided enough distractions so that he wasn't engulfed in thinking about Merlin and the whole mess of a situation. 

Come Monday Arthur was surprised to see Merlin seated at their table. He'd recognized that head of messy (unintentionally, Arthur always marveled at the battle between Merlin's hair and a brush), ink-colored hair anywhere, and a smile spread along his face as he approached their table. 

"I was honestly so scared of you when I first walked into Chemistry", he heard someone admit, in a voice that he recognized as not being belonging to anyone from their friend group. The slight accent and the slightly self-conscious stumble of the speech gave it away and Arthur knew that Daniel was there at the table as well, seated beside Merlin. 

He decided to ignore that Daniel being there makes his stomach coil itself into tight knots and he just sits across from Merlin, greeting everyone at the table. "Hey, nice to see you", he says to Merlin, sending him a small smile. 

A small nod and a polite smile are all that he gets in return and he swallowed down anything else he might want to say with a sip of orange juice. 

"I've worked quite hard to cultivate an intimidating reputation", Morgana gleamed, reaching over to pat at Daniel's shoulder. 

Everyone was engaging with Daniel. Leon and he shared idle conversation on their shared English class, Percival and him talked about an upcoming footie match and who they thought would win, and Gwen graciously accepted Daniel's offer to help her study for her German exam next week. When he received a sharp kick to his shins, managing to not choke thanks to pure luck (and earning a concerned look from Lancelot to his left and a loud laugh from Will who sat to his right), he looks up from his food and finds Morgana, seated beside Daniel, glaring daggers at him. 

Her tiny nod in Daniel's direction is enough for him to gather what she means. "So, Daniel", the golden-haired teenager starts, and he can feel Merlin's gaze on him, as well as noting how Daniel has a deer-in-headlights look on his face,"I'd like to apologize for everything, mainly my awful attitude towards you for the past weeks". 

Daniel is quick to wave a hand dismissively, "No worries Arthur, it's alright". 

"No it isn't", Arthur continued, "It was uncalled for and rude and completely unacceptable. I'm really sorry for all of that, for being such a wanker". 

Daniel smiles widely and nods, "I accept your apology Arthur, _alles_ _gut_ , don't worry about it". 

Arthur nodded, and they fall into simple conversation, him asking Daniel how he's been liking the school, Daniel inquiring what his favorite football team was. While he's engrossed in talking with Daniel, the guy was great, he'd always known that, he doesn't miss the smile that Merlin sends him, bright and cheerful. 

 

_♢♢♢_

 

Daniel and Merlin break up about a month and a half later, in mid-November. 

The break up was amicable, that's what Merlin assured everyone when he came to sit at breakfast with them one day and they asked if Daniel was going to sit with them or his own friends. 

"Broke up? My God, what do you mean? ", cried out Morgana, her eyes widening as she shook her head.

Shrugging, Merlin answered, "We broke up, it's fine guys", and before anyone could say anything else he raised a  hand to silence them, "It was mutual, it was alright and we agreed that we both still wanted to be friends, before you start plotting a murder". 

Lancelot, with a frown on his face, asked, "Wait, so you both wanted to break up? I thought you guys were going steady and great". 

Arthur thought that too. Since he'd apologized to Daniel, he'd started talking more with the German student, even if he did feel a twisting at his intestines whenever he saw Merlin and him kiss or Daniel would talk about the Emrys teen. From what he knew, the two were doing great and had just gone out last Saturday into Camelot to some traveling exhibit at a gallery that was devoted to the work of a late German husband and wife photography duo that shot industrial structures. 

"We both agreed that we didn't see much happening for us and that it would probably be better to end things now", Merlin replied casually, shrugging though he did look a bit glum. 

Gwaine shook his head and, drama queen as ever, lamented in an exaggerated tone, "Well, I guess we have to call off your wedding plans then ". 

Merlin let out a laugh at that. "Really? Someone has to call Nena then, tell her Daniel and I are canceled". 

"If anyone was going to sing at your wedding I suggest Elton, he'd be a wonder", chimed in Morgana, smirking. 

"He was probably going to sing after Nena, so we'll have to give him a call too", shot back Percival, earning himself a playful smack from Morgana. 

Merlin laughed, smiling widely, shaking his head at his. Arthur's blue eyes follow him as he lifts a plum from his serving of yogurt to his mouth, teeth sinking into the richly colored fruit. The way that Merlin's teeth go into the dark flesh of the fruit, sink into the yellowy colored fruit, how some juice from the fruit slipped down along his fingertips. His eyes follow a droplet of the juice that travels slowly along the delicate form of Merlin's index finger, slipping along the long figure of his digit. 

A nudge at his shoulder from Lancelot has him blinking furiously and sputtering out a small cough. Was he really staring at Merlin? Honest to God staring at him eat a plum? 

"Are you alright, Arthur?", Merlin asked, arching a brow concernedly. 

He quickly nodded and waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, all good", he chuckled, looking into Merlin's blue eyes and smiling softly. 

The breakup didn't dampen Merlin's mood, and Daniel and his promise to remain friends was met since they still talked and laughed together, and the dark-haired Emrys teen still spent time with Daniel's friends. Arthur was glad to see his friend was dealing with the breakup in strides.

And he was certainly happy that he didn't have to think about why he felt so weird with Merlin and Daniel together. 

If only he wasn't such a daft idiot and would recognize that what he'd been feeling the whole time was _jealousy._

**Author's Note:**

> Ft. Daniel Von Blumenthal from the work by German poet Der Stricker as well as other characters from the work, as well as characters from Der Pleier's Garel. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this work, thank you and feel free to leave kudos and comments! :)


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